Body Essay Preparation

Mind/Body Essay Preparation Mind/Body Essay Preparation Some students may believe that writing an essay is relatively simple and doesn’t require much effort. This assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. Writing requires a lot of time and energy. Like most activities that require effort (exercise, working, cooking), writing an essay requires some preparation for both mind and body. Here are some tips to mentally and physically prepare yourself to write: Get organized Gather research materials and organize them before buckling down to write. When it comes to gathering sources from different publications, write each of them on a piece of paper and summarize the key points you wish to include in your essay. This helps save time and prevent clutter on your workspace. Minimize distractions If you are working in a public library and prefer to listen to music to concentrate, use a pair of earphones and lower the volume of your device to prevent distracting others. If you enjoy working in silence, use a pair of noise-cancelling headphones to block out distractions. Clear your mind of lingering issues or concerns; plan to deal with them after you finish. Eat in advance Avoid eating unhealthy snacks before writing and switch to brain-boosting foods like eggs, nuts, or yogurt to aid your concentration and focus. Remember to drink enough water. Inspiration/Dedication What motivates you to write this essay? Is it to earn a good grade? If so, focus on what you want to achieve and remember to set deadlines for yourself. Motivate yourself to begin, but forge on with discipline. If you’re not well-rested or fed, writing an essay can be more time-consuming than it needs to be. Take time for yourself and the writing will flow more easily. understands the importance of writing essays and other academic papers on a deadline. Whether you are in a high school, undergraduate, masters, or doctoral program, we offer academic writing services to help you achieve your goals. Our team of accredited writers can provide quality and original writing and use anti-plagiarism tools and resources.

Roman Fever by Edith Wharton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Roman Fever by Edith Wharton - Essay Example The main characters of the short story are two elderly women Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley. Thorough the theme of marriage, the author shows that most women rely upon successful match in order to achieve high social position. The short story suggests something of the historical loss for women of transferring the sense of self to relationships with men. For instance, Mrs. Slade reflected "he had always regarded herself (with a certain conjugal pride) as his equal in social gifts, as contributing her full share to the making of the exceptional couple they were" (Wharton). Wharton depicts that social status plays an important role in life of both women, because high social position determine their happiness and guarantee public recognition. The character of Mrs. Ansley does not differ greatly from her friend. "Mrs. Ansley was much less articulate than her friend, and her mental portrait of Mrs. Slade was slighter" (Wharton). Both women portrayed as typical wives whose domestic role is pred etermined. The theme of widowhood helps Wharton to unmask contradiction arisen in the society and criticize dependence of women upon their husbands. Wharton vividly portrays that women mean nothing as social members without their husbands. "Yes; being the Slade's widow was a dullish business after that. In living up to such a husband all her faculties had been engaged; now she had only her daughter to live up to" (Wharton). In reality, both women find themselves defeated by the social norms they have followed all their life. Wharton unveils that their society had been solid and secure up to the moment their husbands were alive. To some extent, this short story shows a parody of the happy ending when women are faced with realities of live after death of their husbands. It seems that after husbands' deaths women are excluded from social life. Wharton criticizes social statuses and positions which play a crucial role for women and unveils that women can commit any crime and play any trick upon their friends in order to secure their high position and public recognition. Wharton depicts that friendship does not exist between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley, because their lives have been nothing more than a struggle for happiness and high social position. For instance, Mrs. Slade has hated her friend all her life because Mrs. Ansley is lovely and cleverer than she is. Many years ago Mrs. Slade betrayed her in order to secure her marriage which meant high social position. Mrs Slade recollects: "And I remember laughing to myself all that evening at the idea that you were waiting around there in the dark, dodging out of sight, listening for every sound, trying to get in" (Wharton). Wharton criticizes that only marriage can preserves the vital social values of stability, continuity and propriety. Only at the cost of brutally suppressi ng equally powerful individual

Critically examine the added value the HR dept has made to improved Essay

Critically examine the added value the HR dept has made to improved company performance - Essay Example Having segregated itself from the Sears group in, 1998, the Selfridges group started out with an investment of 100 million pounds. This was diverted towards the opening of its second store in Trafford Park. This mall houses 280 stores and enjoys a wide clientele from various parts of Europe and the rest of the world. (Hutchison et al, 2003) The human resource role and organisational turnaround have been discussed in this paper from the point of view of the premise of competitive advantage as follows: The world of commerce in this era is one where there is an amalgamation of a global market place as well as the theories of competitive advantage with the strong backing of innovation. (Green, 2002) Any marketer or producer in this modern market place needs to adhere to these practices and theories in order to gain any measure of success, whether small or big. In this regard, the role of the HR element in Selfridges plays on its overall brand equity and effective goal achievement program. (Park, 1994) Before delving any deeper into the paper, let us fist consider the elements of the modern world of commerce. The world has shrunk to accommodate the limitations of the geographical demarcations and expanded to transgress the same by reaching out to people from all corners of the world. (Tirole, 1990) This has triggered a phenomenon called the global village concept, which is basically depend on the information technology, communication and a unified mode of business and commerce. Thriving in this global scheme of things indicates an affiliation with keeping abreast of what is going on in every corner of the world and adapting oneself to make profits accordingly. (Hutchison et al, 2003) This is owing to the fact that a manufacturer can now see his name in the most unexpected of places and in order to get there, he needs to be able to keep with the latest and improvise on the same to create

Write an essay on Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House in which you

Write an on Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House in which you either support or oppose Nora Helmer's decision at the conclusion of the play to leave her family - Essay Example She is heroic and not selfish as most critics conclude. Critics of Nora Helmer’s decision to leave her family at the end of the play point out that she was too impulsive. An example in the play is Mrs. Linde who decides that she ought to take care of the man she loves for her to be contented with herself (Ibsen & Henrietta 6). Her character is a complete opposite of Nora’s character in terms of attitudes and emotions. The character of Mrs. Linde clearly shows that Nora’s decision to leave her family was not the only decision available to women in her situation. Other critics who have read the book like the Swedish playwright August Strindberg attack Nora’s decision to leave her family as unacceptable (Billington 1). This is because the marriage covenant was considered holy. He condemns Nora’s behavior and deems her as irresponsible and selfish since she decides to leave her children because they do not have to pay for the mistakes of their father. The times depicted in the play do not support Noraâ€⠄¢s behavior since no true woman would ever make such a choice at that time in history. Nora Helmer is not only a victim of male domination, but also a master of the domestic world. She is dedicated enough to take care of her sick husband, courageous enough to forge her father’s signature and confident enough to pay back all her debts no matter how tough the situation gets (Unwin & Ibsen 10). Nora Helmer cannot be blamed for her desire of the ‘wonderful thing’; the ideal union where both husband and wife regard each other as rational individuals aware of the society they live in and they can also fulfill their individual duties. Her ideation of what marriage ought to be bringings her to the awareness of the flaws in her own marriage. This awareness is what finally drives her to leave her husband as her husband’s firm decision not to compromise his integrity for the sake of love ignites her decision and she leaves, slamming the door. This is

A Probation And Parole Criminology Essay

A Probation And Parole Criminology Essay The idea of the corrections system has been around for a while. Within this system there lies several different types of programs that do not require an offender to be placed in a prison or jail. These programs to allow the offender to remain out in the community, while being closely monitored. The earliest and most common programs are probation and parole. These two programs allow most offenders to be in their normal everyday setting, unless otherwise stated by the judge or probation or parole officer. Usually this is the sentence given to offenders who have a non-violent offense and are less likely to run away. These are the offenders who are seen to be harmful to society. Probation and parole are two of the easiest ways to help with problems within the jail such as overcrowding. Background/History Probation and parole are two of the oldest programs within the corrections system that takes care of non-violent offenders. Before the development of these programs, the offenders would be placed into the same facilities as all the other offenders. This wasnt fair to the offenders, nor was it helpful to the staff there. The actual goal of probation and parole was not to place these people into prisons or jails, but to rehabilitate them while in the care of their community. Probation John Augustus was the father of probation, although there were similar practices around 437 BC. Augustus was your average, everyday man. However, his goal with probation was behavioral reform. He believed that if the system allowed the offender to stay within the community, they would get sort of a second chance. Then, by providing support and guidance from probation officers, the officers may in fact be able to reach the goal of assisting the offender in becoming a law-abiding individual. The word probation actually is a form of the Latin word probatio which mean to test or prove. The individuals who receive probation are called probationers. They are people who have been convicted of a crime and are given this sentence instead of going to jail. Probation officers are the people who supervise them. They are usually court-appointed and must make sure that their probationer follows the rules handed down to them by the court. Parole Parole was first used in Australia and Ireland. It was seen as an award for inmates who were on their best behavior. Parole is a privilege given to an individual when are eligible to parole. This happens after the prisoner receives a minimum or maximum sentence; then they become eligible with the decision of the parole board, which decides whether or not to put them on parole after a consideration hearing. Just like probation, this is a program that focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders and getting them back into the community and on the right track. Parole was first introduced in the United States by Brockway Zebulon in 1876 as a way to reduce jail overcrowding. Zebulon also saw this as way to rehabilitate offenders by encouraging them to exhibit good behavior while incarcerated. This allows offenders to be let back into their community after serving a portion of their jail time and live, but under supervision from a Parole Officer. The parole period is based on a decision made by the board of parole. If the offender violates their parole while out, they are then placed back into the prison system. Both Alexander Maconochie and Walter Crofton played important roles in the development of the parole program. Literature Review Probation Evidence of probation goes all the way back to the Middle Ages (Ditton and Ford 1994). During that time, the court systems practiced suspended sentences. The first courts in America allowed these suspended sentences, but not every court used this (Young 1976). All of this occurred before John Augustus idea of probation came about (Ditton and Ford 1994). John Augustus was a local businessman who asked judges to allow him to pay the fines for offenders who had been convicted of minor or non-violent crimes and then allow him to supervise them (Ditton and Ford 1994). After bailing these individuals out, he helped them find jobs and monitored their changes (Young 1976). When it was time for the offender to return to court, Augustus went along and provided the judge with a report on how the offender was progressing. (Ditton and Ford 1994; Young 1976) In 1978, thanks to the success of John Augustus, the first probation law was passed in Massachusetts (Ditton and Ford 1994). However, it wasnt until after Chicago established the first juvenile court that probation became a popular and useful sentencing method (Young 1976). In 1925, the National Probation Act was passed, which ultimately created a probation system for the federal government (Ditton and Ford 1994; Young 1976). By 1956, every state had some form of probation as a sentencing method (Ditton and Ford 1994; Young 1976). There are two main goals established by the probation program. The first is to protect society from additional crime by the offender (Ditton and Ford 1994). The achievement of this goal usually comes through the report of a presentence investigation that is done to determine whether or not the offender is a risk to society (Ditton and Ford 1994). If the information that comes from this report confirm that the offender is in fact not a risk to society then they are sentenced to probation. If the information confirms that the offender is a dangerous offender and may be harmful to their community, then they are usually sentenced to more harsh repercussions (Ditton and Ford 1994). The second goal is to help the offenders (Ditton and Ford 1994). This is done through supervision and management (Ditton and Ford 1994). Probation officers are there to basically watch over the probationers and make sure that they stay away from things that could cause them to reoffend. They also monitor their actions and help keep them from violation rules that have been set as a result of their probation. As far as managing goes, the probation officer is there to lead the offender in the way that they need to go in order not to offend again (Ditton and Ford 1994; Young 1976). They are there to help and ultimately provide the offender with the resources that they need. This actually includes helping them to find employment which is a requirement when on probation. If a probationer violate their probation orders they will have their probation revoked. Their violations fall under one of two types. The first is technical, which is usually defined by minor violations (Ditton and Ford 1994). The second is a re-arrest or new offense (Ditton and Ford 1994). This is serious violation of probation rules. Another offense committed by the offender shows that the individual is not likely to adhere to the probation rules and not prepared to cooperate. These individuals tend to have their probation revoked and end up back in the jail or prison facilities (Ditton and Ford 1994). Over the years, the number of probationers has fluctuated. From 1995 to 2004, the number of individuals on probation rose from 3,077,861 to 4,151,125. This is about a 0.2% change in 2004, the smallest annual growth rate since 1979. In twenty-one states, the adult probation population decreased with Washington State being the only one who saw a double digit decrease. Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, and New Jersey were among the four states who saw an increase of more than 10% in probation population. Since 1990, probationers have accounted for about half the growth of the entire prison population. (Glaze and Palla 2005; Burrell 2005) As with anything, there are problems that occur with probation (Paparozzi and DeMichele 2008). When placed on probation, offenders are expected to follow the guidelines provided to them through the courts (Ditton and Ford 1994). However, we find that they dont always follow the rules and sometimes never get caught or charged. In 2004, in a certain area of Florida, 199,215 individuals were supposed to be on probation in particular month. About one of five offenders had disappeared; out of those left, close to one of four had an active violation report. Nothing was done because a judge stated that it would be hard to do something with each person that had violated their parole. Another problem with probation is that the officers experience heavy caseloads (Paparozzi and DeMichele 2008). They often have to pull overtime in order to keep up. Its hard for the officers to manage all their cases and be sure to keep up with supervising the offenders (Paparozzi and DeMichele 2008). This also tends to be an issue when it comes to parole officers. Parole The parole system goes back to the 1800s when Sir Walter Crofton introduced tickets of leave (Schuessler 1954). He used these to give to prisoners who experienced good behavior in exchange for an early release from prison. Crofton also introduced the idea of intermediate prisons (Schuessler 1954). Inmates could live and work in a supervised manner while carrying out their prison sentence (Schuessler 1954). As for the United States, Brockway Zebulon introduced the idea of the first parole system (Schuessler 1954). Zebulon used the help of volunteer community members to monitor the behavior of the inmates who were released. He wasnt focused on the help of police officers, as he believed they had enough on their plate. As time went on, he used the help of volunteer members who were concerned with the well-being of the individual. By the 1900s this idea had spread and become popular in every state except Virginia, Mississippi, and Florida. (Schuessler 1954; Dressler 1951; Abadinsky 1982) The parole board was established in 1902 (Schuessler 1954). This took the parolees out from under the control of the officers in prisons and allowed the parole board to define the rules and regulations for them (Abadinsky 1982). The board was made of three members; the deputy warden would sit in as the chair person (Abadinsky 1982). Prisoners would come before the board as their behavior was analyzed and the board would determine whether the convict deserved a parole (Schuessler 1954). The parole board established to manage paroles based on the convicts behavior (Virginia General Assembly 1992). However they also had to observe the convicts criminal history, prior supervision opportunities in the community, behavior in the prison during their jail time, and the convicts plans after being released (Abadinsky 1982). During this time, parole officers were introduced into the system. Their job was to monitor parolees once they are released from prison (Virginia General Assembly 1992). In 1910, inmates who were in any US prison received an automatic and equal chance to parole. No parole would be sentenced until the attorney general approves it. For prisoners who were sentenced to a life sentence would be able to go up for parole after 15 years. As a result of all of this, each prison had to hire a parole officer who would supervise the convict and help the parolees get a job. (Schuessler 1954; Dressler 1951; Abadinsky 1982) Within the time of being paroled, just like with probation, the parolee must abide by a set of rules (Schuessler 1954). The must meet with their parole officer at meetings established by the office. The must adhere to all other rules and regulations of being on parole. In the case of any new arrests, the parolee must report this to their parole officer (Schuessler 1954). If the parolee moves, they must make the parole officer aware. This also goes for any change in employment. During this time the officer cannot have any control substances in their possession nor be in the possession of a firearm (Schuessler 1954). Its also recommended that the parolee refrain from associating with individuals that may cause them to reoffend or could possibly get them in trouble in any way (Schuessler 1954). The number of individuals on parole went from 679,421 in 1995 to 765,355 in 2004. Therefore, the Nations parole population grew about 2.7%. This is a huge difference compared to the small growth of probation. A total of about ten states had double-digit increases in their parole population and as few as nine states saw decreases in their parole population. (Glaze and Palla 2005; Burrell 2005) There are numerous problems with the parole system (Paparozzi and DeMichele 2008; DeMichele and Payne 2007). One being the amount of caseload being given to parole officers (Schuessler 1954). The system seems to have a shortage of parole officers leading the ones that there are to have more cases, making it hard for them to keep control of what they have (Paparozzi and DeMichele 2008; DeMichele and Payne 2007). Another problem is the fact that if the individual is a reoffender, the chances of them reoffending is greater than those of a first-time offender (Schuessler 1954). This is true because the US has seen a high rate in recidivism over time. There is not much that can be done due to the lack of personnel. Probation and Parole Officers Basically, probation and parole officers serve the same duties. They are supposed to supervise and manage the offenders. This allows them to be case workers as well as law enforcers because they have to make sure the offenders dont break any laws. Some will argue that supervision is the most important aspect of the job. (DeMichele and Payne 2007) Probation and parole officer have several duties they must attend to. They conduct home visits, perform curfew checks and verify with the employer of the offender is actually employed. They also help the offender get into treatment facilities if they need it. Thats just a few of the duties that these officers accomplish. (Dressler 1951; Schuessler 1954) In order to became a probation or parole officer you must go through specialized training at a Peace Officer Standards and Training facility. Once this training is completed, they become POST certified peace officers. These officers must take part in quarterly training classes in a variety of areas concerning their job. Difference between probation and parole Most people think that probation and parole are the same thing. The have the same goal as to rehabilitate offenders, but they play two different roles. Probation is basically an extension to the offenders sentence, while parole is a reward given to prisoners for good behavior (Dressler 1951). Parole lessens the amount of time the individuals serves in prison (Dressler 1951). Probation is a sentence handed directly to the offender from the judge, but a parole board is in charge of the decision to grant an offender with parole (Dressler 1951). When it comes to parole, the judge has no say, the decision is left up to the parole board in the prison facility (Dressler 1951; Abadinsky 1982). Parolees are eligible for parole after they have served the minimum prison sentence that has been handed down to them (Abadinsky 1982). The board at this point determines whether or not the individual receives parole (Dressler 1951). As far as probation goes, this is based on the judges decision after determining the seriousness of the crime and whether or not the individual is likely to reoffend within the probationary period (Dressler 1951). Society on Probation and Parole Those within the community have mixed reactions about these programs. Most feel as if it is a good thing to try and rehabilitate these offenders. However, they are unsure how they feel about this individuals having contact within the community. They feel as if these individuals have already offended, that there is not much to keep them from offending again. As far as offenders are concerned, those who serve jail time are able sort of network within the prison walls. They develop these relationships with other prisoners that lead them back where they began. These relationships allow them to establish other relationships out in the community with other criminals or deviant individuals. This is not the case all the time, but for a majority of the time, this is the case. Some members of society realize this and begin to worry what could come of these relationships and networks that have been made. When an offender is released back into society, they have to learn how to control what happens as a result of being labeled. As an offender enters the prison system, they become labeled as an offender. This label then makes it hard for them to find employment, as well as make changes that lead and keep them on the right path. There are individuals who are willing to help these offenders, but most fear their past. This is when the help of the parole or probation officer comes into play. Its their job to help these individual get jobs or get into rehab or even continue with their education. More than likely, if an offender reoffends, its because they are unable to establish a place in society that keeps them busy. Idle hands are the devils workshop which means anyone who has free time to waste is more likely to offend than someone who is constantly doing something. Conclusion The jobs of being a probation or parole officer is not easy. On a day to day basis they have to deal with keeping track and supervising individual, as well as possibly receiving more individuals. Their job is already hard enough with making sure their probationers and parolees are following the rules, but when you have multiple things tend to get tricky. These officers are underappreciated. They are also often taken advantage of. These people come into these positions to help people. Thats why they choose this career, to try and make a difference in ones life. These two programs are very useful within our correction system. They provide for means of rehabilitation just as their founders wished they would. They also save tax payers a great deal of money. Prison overcrowding cause the tax payers of America to have to fork over more money to support the funding of prison and jail facilities. With probation and parole programs having been founded, we are able to save money and alleviate the crowding in these correctional facilities. Although they are not all fail proof, they do help.

Hobbes View of Human Nature and his Vision of Government :: Philosophy essays

Hobbes' View of Human Nature and his Vision of Government    In The Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes talks about his views of human nature and describes his vision of the ideal government which is best suited to his views.      Hobbes believed that human beings naturally desire the power to live well and that they will never be satisfied with the power they have without acquiring more power.   After this, he believes, there usually succeeds a new desire such as fame and glory, ease and sensual pleasure or admiration from others.   He also believed that all people are created equally.   That everyone is equally capable of killing each other because although one man may be stronger than another, the weaker may be compensated for by his intellect or some other individual aspect. Hobbes believed that the nature of humanity leads people to seek power.   He said that when two or more people want the same thing, they become enemies and attempt to destroy each other.   He called this time when men oppose each other war.   He said that there were three basic causes for war, competition, distrust and glory.   In each of these cases, men use violence to invade their enemies territory either for their per sonal gain, their safety or for glory.   He said that without a common power to unite the people, they would be in a war of every man against every man as long as the will to fight is known.   He believed that this state of war was the natural state of human beings and that harmony among human beings is artificial because it is based on an agreement.   If a group of people had something in common such as a common interest or a common goal, they would not be at war and united they would be more powerful against those who would seek to destroy them.   One thing he noted that was consistent in all men was their interest in self-preservation.    Hobbes view of human nature lead him to develop his vision of an ideal government.   He believed that a common power was required to keep men united.   This power would work to maintain the artificial harmony among the people as well as protect them from foreign enemies.

Legal Drama Movies

Erin Brokovich is a true story of an unemployed single mother of the title name who is desperate to find a job in order to support her three young children. Without any real skills and work experience, borderline inappropriate wardrobe, but armed with charm, wit and beauty, she manages to accomplish what she needs. She finds an unlikely job as a file clerk in a law firm without any qualifications.She talks herself into a job as a compensation for the loss of her personal injury case handled by the owner of the small California firm, Ed Masry. Doing her work, she comes across a file regarding a suspicious real estate case against Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). Fueled by curiosity and passion, she does her own investigation and learned the particulars of the case. She persuades her boss to allow her to research the case further.She fervently pursues the case and discovers the systemic cover-up and that the company is trying to quietly buy the land that was contaminated by hex avalent chromium, a deadly toxic waste that the company is irresponsibly, improperly and illegally dumping in the area thereby poisoning the residents in the town of Hinkley giving them serious health problems. The pursuit of the case against PG&E seemed beyond the capabilities of the small law firm Erin works for, but her infectious passion and established bond with the victims propelled her and her boss to follow through.The case proved very challenging to both Erin and her boss as she finds little time to take care of her children and her boss has to carry the burden of the legal costs. In the end, Erin’s emotional connection with the victims and their families, her dedication and perseverance helped in winning one of the biggest class action lawsuits against a multi-billion dollar company in American history. 12 Angry Men (1957) 12 Angry Men is a story about twelve white, mostly middle-aged and generally of middle-class status men who were chosen jurors to determine the f ate of a Latino teenager who was accused of stabbing his father to death.The movie shows what happens in the deliberation of the jurors behind the closed doors of the jury room. The hot, summer day in New York adds to the tense setting and the irritability of the jury. It shows that jurors are influenced by their personal experiences, situations and biases. They are to decide about the life and death of another human being but the gravity of the situation only becomes apparent when one of the jurors cause a holdout, voting not guilty while everyone is eager for a verdict. The film points to the flaws of the justice system.One of which is having a disinterested appointed court defendant whose meager efforts could very well personally strap the defendant to the electric chair. The importance of reasonable doubt is also highlighted as some tend to take it lightly ignoring the fact that they are making a life and death decision. It also portrays how the unreliability of witnesses and ci rcumstantial evidence can give rise to reasonable doubt. Through the deliberation, the back stories of the jurors were revealed explaining their prejudices and predispositions that lead to disagreements and squabbles among the jurors because of their personal differences.The discussion continued with the built up tension among the jurors but because they carried on, other jurors changed their vote in light of the arguments. The votes kept changing as they made the effort to dissect the case until the tally is reversed to an eleven to one in favor of not guilty from the swift and unscrutinized decision of eleven to one for a guilty verdict during the first vote. The lone juror for the guilty verdict sees that he is the only one with that vote and changed his vote, leading to a unanimous verdict for an acquittal. Civil Action (1998)Based on the real-life water contamination case in Woburn, Massachusetts, Civil Action is about Jan Schlichtmann, a money-driven personal injury lawyer pla yed by John Travolta and the case that changed his life. He pursues an environmental case thinking it would earn him millions of dollars and enhance his and his firm’s reputation. The case was against the two major conglomerates Beatrice Foods and W. R. Grace & Co. as they were suspected of pollution crimes. The drinking wells supplying water to the town were found to be contaminated by industrial solvents caused by the companies’ local factories.There was a high rate of leukemia that led to the deaths of some of the children in the town as a direct result of the pollution and the families, represented by Schlichtmann, filed a class action lawsuit. It was a great challenge in Schlichtmann’s career as the case was against someone with resources enough to impede the case. Later, he finds out that more than the case, a lot more is at stake. He pursues the case against the industrial giants at a great personal and professional expense. A judge rules against him thus not achieving his goal of earning millions and worse, setting his firm back because of the magnitude of the case.He becomes deeply invested in the case and his original goal of monetary gain takes a back seat to pride and stubbornness. He declines some settlement offers deciding that he must win at all cost. After all these, the case is dismissed in favor of one of the defendants and he is forced to accept a settlement from the other defendant that was barely enough for him to break even with his expenses. Because of what transpired, his partners decided to break up the firm and no longer practice with him. On his own, he comes up with an idea to win a settlement for the families while his life remains a mess.He later ends up alone and files for bankruptcy. The Insider (1999) The Insider is a true story of tobacco executive Jeffrey Wigand, played by Russell Crowe, and 60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman, played by Al Pacino. Their lives converge when Bergman wanted to produce an exp ose against the tobacco industry and Wigand has the inside information that made him perfect for the interview. Wigand is a terminated employee from a tobacco firm, Brown and Williamson, who knew that the CEOs of the seven major tobacco companies perjured themselves to the US Congress about their knowledge of nicotine's addictiveness.He says that Brown and Williamson manipulated nicotine so that it could be more rapidly absorbed in the lungs, thus affecting the brain and central nervous system through impact boosting and that they consciously ignored public health in favor of profit. The interview became a source of grief and personal problems for both Wigand and Bergman. Bergman suggested court deposition to Wigand to protect himself from his former employer’s counterattack on the interview especially with his signed confidentiality agreement.Soon his problems begin with restraining orders and death threats to prevent him from testifying, as well as character assassination t o discredit him and his statements. Bergman on the other hand battles with censorship and with constant fights with the management, he was ordered to go on vacation. After all the turmoil, the Wall Street Journal clears Wigand’s name, reveals his deposition and condemns his employer’s smear campaign against him. The New York Times releases an article about the scandal in 60 Minutes, wherein Wigand’s full interview was finally broadcasted.The movie ends with the title cards showing the $246 billion settlement the tobacco companies made with Mississippi and other states to reimburse Medicaid funds used to treat people with smoking-related illnesses: a result of Wigand’s interview. Runaway Jury (2003) Runaway Jury, based on John Grisham’s novel The Runaway Jury, is a movie about circumventing justice through manipulation of the jury. The story revolves on the case filed by Celeste Wood who sues a gun company who manufactured the gun that killed her hu sband. Representing her is an idealistic lawyer named Wendell Rohr played by Dustin Hoffman.On the defense’s side is jury selection expert Rankin Fitch, played by Gene Hackman, who unlike Rohr, is ruthless and willing to bend the rules to get the results he wants. The conflict intensifies when Nick Easter, played by John Cusack becomes part of the jury who has the same ability to sway and manipulate the other jurors like Fitch. He is helped by his girlfriend Marlee, played by Rachel Weisz in the efforts to outsmart Fitch. With Nick and Marlee’s access to the jurors and their influence on them, they have the power to manipulate the verdict to whichever they wish.They offered to sell this influence for a hefty price to both Rohr and Fitch. As the trial progresses and both the plaintiff and defense become desperate, the two opposing parties agreed to Nick and Marlee’s terms but bothered by his conscience, Rohr backs out. Fitch deposits the millions to Nick and Marl ee’s account only to regret it when the twist of the movie is revealed. Fitch had worked on the case about the death of Marlee’s sister in a school shooting years ago. The town sued the company that manufactured the gun that killed Marlee’s sister but lost and went bankrupt.Nick and Marlee particularly picked the Celeste Wood case to exact their revenge on Fitch. They used the money Fitch deposited as a leverage to force him to retire as the IRS would be interested with the amount of the transfer. As for the money, Nick and Marlee plan to give it to the town that went bankrupt after losing the case with the gun company. Wall Street (1987) Wall Street is a film about the seedy underbelly of the world of stock market as some stockbrokers resort to bending the rules and breaking the law with insider information to get ahead.Bud Fox, played by Charlie Sheen, is a discontented mediocre stockbroker eager to get to the top like Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglas. Gekko, whose philosophy in life is â€Å"Greed is Good,† is ruthless, devoid of ethics, and would do anything to earn his millions — a polar opposite to Bud’s father Carl, played by Martin Sheen. Fox, desperate to be mentored by Gekko, tries to impress him and inadvertently reveals insider information about his father’s company Bluestar Airlines. Gekko becomes interested and takes Fox under his wing.Gekko shows Fox the fast and the good life of a successful and rich stockbroker but in exchange for more information about Bluestar. Fox suggests to buy Bluestar and to expand the company’s assets. Even with Carl’s dislike of Gekko, he was convinced by his son to use his influence in the company’s union to push the deal forward. Gekko, however, had a different plan and sells Bluestar’s assets leaving Carl and the other employees of the airline unemployed. Wracked by guilt, Fox finds a way to ruin Gekko’s plans.He manages to a lter Bluestar’s stock value and as Gekko realizes that his stock is plummeting, decides to relinquish his remaining interest in the company. Fox feels triumphant but not for long because Gekko learned his involvement in the scheme and had him arrested by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Towards the end of the film, a heated confrontation ensues between Fox and Gekko, which was Fox’s ploy to record Gekko’s confession of his crimes. Fox hands over the recordings to federal authorities helping them build a case against Gekko, which would help lighten Fox’s sentence.Their fates are left unambiguous but the film delivers a message that crime does not pay and greed is indeed not good. The Firm (1993) The Firm, based on a John Grisham novel, is about a young lawyer’s budding career and the troubles that he encounters when he associates with the wrong people in pursuit of early success. Mitch McDeer, played by Tom Cruise, is one of the top graduates of his class in Harvard Law School despite his poor economic status. He receives many offers from different firms but coming from an unprivileged upbringing, he was enticed by the most lucrative offer from Bendini, Lambert, & Locke law firm in Memphis.Everything is great until the reason for the too-good-to-be-true offer gets revealed. Mitch learns that no one in BL&L ever quits and those who do end up dead shortly after. The firm also takes a very keen interest in its employees’ personal lives. Things become suspicious and he later learns about the firm’s strong ties to the Mafia and that the firm was being used to launder money for organized crime. With the FBI’s interest on the case, they contact Mitch and coerce him into cooperating with their investigation of the firm.The firm suspects of Mitch’s knowledge on their illegal activities and soon, Mitch is blackmailed from both sides and is torn between doing the right thing and his personal and profess ional wellbeing. Doubting the FBI, Mitch gets the help of those he trusts to collect the necessary evidence against the firm at great personal risk, even coming face to face with the mob boss. With their resourcefulness despite the great difficulties of acquiring the important client files and documents, they gathered what they needed and Mitch provides the FBI enough evidence to indict the firm.In the end, everyone gets what they deserve and everything is resolved. Mitch gets a modest job in a small but promising law firm in Boston. Fracture (2007) Fracture is a film about a talented structural engineer Ted Crawford, played by Anthony Hopkins, who manages to escape justice with his skill in finding the fracture or flaw in arguments. He however is hindered by an equally intelligent prosecutor Willy Beachum, played by Ryan Gosling. Ted carefully plans the murder of his unfaithful wife. He executes it but his wife manages to survive but is dependent on life support.Ted confesses to th e crime but retracts it and demands to represent himself in the trial, relying on his skills of spotting the weakness in structures, in this case, the prosecutor’s arguments. Willy, who has a young and successful career and in transition to a more lucrative corporate position, takes Ted’s case thinking it would be an easy victory only to be humiliated by someone untrained for litigation. It was discovered that Ted’s gun acquired at the crime scene was not the gun used to shoot his wife. Baffled and lacking further evidence, the prosecution lost and Ted was acquitted.Engrossed by the case and his career in disarray, Willy visits the only eye witness, Ted’s wife, who Ted later orders to be pulled from life support. With his efforts, Willy uncovers that Ted and the arresting officer’s guns were identical. Ted learns that the police officer was his wife’s lover, switches out the guns and shoots his wife. The officer arrived at his house, surpris ed to see his lover’s predicament, became distracted and Ted was able to switch back the guns. Ted’s gun was admitted into evidence and the officer unknowingly takes the murder weapon.Willy confronts Ted with this new evidence and thinking he is protected by the double jeopardy clause, Ted confesses. Willy reveals that because he took his wife off life support, they can now try him for murder and double jeopardy does not apply as he was previously tried for attempted murder. Ted was arrested and a new trial begins, this time with Ted defended by actual lawyers. Michael Clayton (2007) Michael Clayton, played by George Clooney, is a story about a man who makes a living by cleaning up other people’s messes.He is a former District Attorney who uses his contacts to get the clients of his high-priced law firm out of trouble. Other than his ethically dubious job, he is also troubled by his personal problems of a failed marriage and gambling debt and later finds the add ition of threat to his very life when he encounters the new problem his firm will send him to fix. One of the firm’s partners Arthur Edens, played by Tom Wilkinson, had an outburst in the middle of a deposition involving an agricultural products conglomerate U-North and Michael is sent to remedy the situation.U-North’s general counsel Karen Crowder, played by Tilda Swinton, learns that Edens have evidence about the company’s involvement in manufacturing a cancer-causing product. Learning that Edens is not likely to cooperate, she orders to permanently incapacitate him in a way that will look like a suicide. Michael is saddened by Edens’ death and later becomes suspicious about its connection with U-North. He was able to sneak in to Edens’ apartment and learns about the U-North documents.This puts his life in danger as two men are tailing him informing Crowder of the situation. They later detonate a remote bomb in Michael’s car which luckily exploded when he was out of the vehicle. Later, Michael waits for Crowder to finish a U-North board meeting. He tells her that he is in possession of Edens’ U-North evidence, he knows about her involvement in Edens’ death and that he will keep his silence for a hefty price. When she agrees, he reveals that their conversation is being monitored.He walks away and Crowder and the chairman of U-North get arrested by the police. The Star Chamber (1983) The Star Chamber is a film about the flaws in the judicial system and the boundaries that some people are willing to cross in order to take justice into their own hands to address these flaws. Judge Stephen Hardin, played by Michael Douglas, is a California judge frustrated about being forced to set free suspects that are obviously guilty based on technicalities in paperwork and processing of evidence.He reaches his breaking point when two men accused of raping and killing a ten-year-old boy had to walk free because of the sm all detail in dates of paperwork processing. This is when his friend Judge Ben Caufield, played by Hal Holbrook, introduces him to the secret organization of radical magistrates called the Star Chamber. These judges take the law into their own hands by identifying and assassinating guilty criminals who got away with their crimes. The two men in Hardin’s case become the next target of the Star Chamber.A predicament arises when a detective shows Hardin conclusive evidence that someone else raped and killed the boy. He then appeals the case to the group but it was too late. An assassin has already been ordered and cannot be called off. Also, the group justified that what they do is still for society’s greater good and that those two men are guilty of other crimes, if not for the murder of the boy. Hardin goes on a quest to ironically save the two men he wanted killed. He warns them but they do not believe him, especially because he finds out about the other illegal things that they are involved in.Hardin was attacked by the two men but the Star Chamber’s assassin kills them before they kill him. However, the assassin was also there to kill Hardin since the group ordered his murder as well. In the nick of time, the detective comes to his rescue and he survives. The Star Chamber continues with their work without Hardin, who is merely outside in a car with the detective, recording their meeting. Reference All Media Guide LLC. (n. d). All Movie Guide. Retrieved April 21, 2009, from http://www. starpulse. com/